Signature delivery mechanism for printing presses



H. M. BARBER SIGNATURE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 21. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1934.

H. M. BARBER SIGNATURE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nv. 21. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS 8,1934. H. M. BARBER 1,971,897

SIGNATURE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 21. 1932 :5 Sheets-Sheet a Q i 5 I 1 E x i 1 t INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1934 SIGNATURE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Howard M. Barber, Pawcatuck, Conn, assignor to C. E. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly,

E. L, a corporation of Delaware Application November 21, 1932, Serial No. 643,597

5 Claims.

In packer deliveries it has heretofore been dimcult to properly retain signatures of few pages or of light material in position in the packer boxes because of the liability of the signatures to col- [5 lapse and become displaced when the reciprocating packing fingers recede from the signature pack. I

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby signatures of few pages or of light weight as Well as heavier signatures may be automatically retained in positionwhen the packer fingers have left the pack to receive and advance a new signature.

My invention comprises, in a packer delivery, oppositely disposed coacting signature pack retaining devices which are operated mechanically to bring them into and out of their signature pack retaining position at the proper times.

My invention moreparticularly comprises such oppositely disposed signature pack retaining devices having pins movable through the side walls of the packer box into and out of their pack retaining position.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in connection with a two-way packer delivery.

Fig. 1 represents in side elevation so much of a sheet folding and delivery mechanism as will give a clear understanding of my improved packer deliveryythe packer fingers being shown in their intermediate position. 7

Fig. 2 represents a detail end view of the same, the coacting signature pack retaining devices being shown in their extended or pack retaining position. i

Fig. 3 represents a detail view partly in section, showing the signature pack retaining device at one side of the packer delivery box and its operating mechanism, the device being shown in its withdrawn position.

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail vertical longitudinal section through the packer delivery and its adjacent parts, the reciprocating packer fingers being shown in their advance position in one direction.

The coacting folding cylinders of the signature folding and delivery mechanism are denoted by 2, 3 and the rotary cylinder for ensuring the feeding of the sheets to their grippers on the folding cylinder 2 is denoted by 1. The coacting signature delivery rolls are denoted by 4, 4. I

The two-way signature packer delivery box comprises the bottom 5 and the uprising sides 6, 6, which sides extend forwardly and rearwardly respectively from the side guides '7, '7 of the chute which receives the signatures from the delivery rolls 4, 4.

The reciprocating packer fingers 8 uprise from their carriage 9 through a slot in the bottom 5 of the packer delivery box, which carriage is mounted to slide on the tracks 10, 10 beneath-the said bottom 5 of the packer delivery box.

The means which I have shown for reciprocating the packer finger carriage 9 is as follows: A rod 11 connects the carriage with an uprising arml2 of a rock shaft 13, said rock shaft being provided with another arm 14 connected by a rod 15 either to a crank disc 16 on a rotary shaft 17 where non-collected signatures areto be delivered, or to a crank disc 18 on a rotary shaft 19 where collected folded signatures are to be delivered.

The means which I have shown for retaining the signature pack in position as the packer fingers are retracted is as follows: A pair of oppositely disposed signature pack retaining devices are located to the front of the side guides '7, 7 and a pair of similar oppositely disposed signature pack retaining devices are located to the rear of the said side guides 7, 7.

Each one of these signature pack retaining devices is constructed, arranged and operated as follows: A vertically disposed yoke 20 is provided with a plurality of pins 21, (three in the present instance) which pins are slidably mounted in holes 22 through the side wall 6 of the packer box in position to be momentarily withdrawn out of the signature path within the packer delivery box as the packer fingers are advanced. with a newly delivered signature to permit the signature to freely pass said pins; the pins being again extended into the signature path back of the signature as soon as the signature has passed said withdrawn pins, to retain the signature pack in position as the packer fingers are retracted. One of these pins'21 has an outward extension 23 which is engaged by an arm 24 carried by a rock shaft 25, which rock shaft is provided with another arm 26 having a stud or roller 27 located in the path of a'cam 28 on a longitudinally disposed rotary shaft 29, driven from a rotary cross shaft 30 through a worm gear connection 31, 32. It will be understood that this cross shaft 30 operates both pairs of oppositely disposed signature pack retaining devices so that their signature pack retaining pins 21 are extended and withdrawn at the proper times.

This cross shaft 30 may also be used as the drive shaft for the folding and delivery mechgear 36.

anism and, if so, it will drive the cylinders 3, 2, 1, through the train of gears 33, 34, 35, 36, 3'7, 38, 39; the intermeshing gears 40, 41 of the signature delivery rolls 4, 4 being driven from the The shaft 42 of the rotary cylinder 1 may be provided. with a gear 43 meshing with a gear 44 on the shaft 19, which gear 44 meshesv slightly lower surface speed than that of the folding cylinder 2 through a train of gears 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 from a gear 58 on the shaft 59 of the gear 36. The gears 52 and 53 are mounted on eccentrics 60 and 61 respectively so that the gears may be readily disconnected when it is desired not to use the brushes 46, 4'7 and 48.

To prevent the trapping of air between the signature pack and the advancing last delivered signature, the sides 6, 6 of the packer box are provided with a. plurality of air release openings 62 to the front and rear respectively of the side guides 7, '7 of the packer chute.

From the above description it will be seen that the operation .of the signature pack retaining means is as follows: As the packer fingers 8 ad- Vance in one direction with a signature the pair of oppositely arranged retaining devices are momentarily withdrawn to permit the passage of the newly delivered signature thereby and immediately after the signature has passed the withdrawn devices the said devices are again extended to retain the pack with its newly acquired signature in position. Where a two-way signature delivery is provided as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the same procedure would be carried out as the packer fingers are advanced in the opposite direction with their newly delivered signature.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of -my invention; and hence I do not intend to be limited to-the parbut What I claim is:

1. In a packer delivery, a two-way packer. box

provided with uprising sides having oppositely disposed signature guides, reciprocating packer fin gers operable to pack signatures alternately in opposite directions and signature pack retaining means operable to retain the packs against displacement as'the packer fingers are retracted, said means comprising pairs of oppositely disposed coacting devices located respectively to the front and rear of the signature guides and movable into and out of the signature path. I

2. In a packer delivery, a packer box provided with uprising sides having oppositely disposed signature guides, reciprocating packer fingers and signature pack retaining means operable to retain the pack against displacement as the packer fingers are retracted, said means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed coacting devices having pins slidable in the sides of the packer box into and out of the signature path.

3. In a packer delivery, a two-way packer box provided with uprising sides having oppositely disposed signature guides, reciprocating packer fingers operable to'pack signatures alternately in opposite directions and signature pack retaining means operable to retain the packs against displacement as the packer fingers are retracted, said -means comprising pairs of oppositely disposed c0- acting devices located respectively to the front and rear of said signature guides, said devices having pins slidable in the sides of the packer box into and out of the signature paths.

4. In a packer. delivery, a packer 'box provided with uprising sides having oppositely disposed signature guides, reciprocating packer fingers and signature pack retaining means operable to retain the pack against displacement as the packer fingers are retracted, said means comprising a. pair of oppositely disposed coaoting devices having pins slidable in the sides of the packer box and means for moving them into and out of the signature path including a common cross shaft and cam controlled levers for each device, operated by the cross shaft.

5. In a packer delivery, a two way packer box provided with uprising sides having oppositely disposed signature guides, reciprocating packer fingers operable to packsignatures alternately in opposite directions and signature pack retaining means operable to retain the packs against displacement as the packer fingers are retracted, said meanscomprising pairs of oppositely disposed coacting devices located respectively .to the front and rear of said signature guides, said devices having pins slidable in the sides of the box and means for movingithe'devices into and out of the signature paths including a common cross shaft and cam controlled levers for each device, operated by the cross shaft.

HOWARD M. BARBER. 

